Kids Craft: Baked Clay

I have been all consumed with our trip to Disney World that I haven't had a moment to sit down and try to blog about anything! But before we left, McKinley and I were hard at work on our second kids craft segment for Better Kansas City and this time, we worked with baked clay. I've been wanting to do something fun with this craft clay and I came up with the cutest idea. Even though we are in the throws of summer, the new school year will be here before we know it, and why not spruce up your child's backpack with the cutest backpack charms! And because you're making them, you can tailor them to your personality! That's exactly what we did!

I had so much fun creating charms that I took it to the next level and made lapel pins too! Oh, and with the extras, I decided to make bookmarks. I mean, why not! Seriously though, I had way more fun than McKinley, however he's been sporting his lapel pins on his denim jacket and they are darling!! Want to know more? Keep reading!

Here is what you're going to need. We used polymer clay specifically for baking and I got mine on Amazon. For the charms, we used larger cookie and clay cutters and for the lapel pins and bookmarks, we used mini cookie cutters. You need large key rings, backpack hooks, flat backed pins, an assortment of headpins, E6000 glue, and a Silpat mat. 

Now it's time to get started. Make sure you follow the directions on the clay box. You need to preheat your oven while working with the clay.

You are going to wash your hands before working with the clay, and after each use, so you don't mix colors. Knead the clay until it's malleable.

We originally used a rolling pin to try and roll out the clay, but it picked up all the particles it touched and left it in the clay, so we used our fingers for the rest of the project.

To add the head pin, making sure that your pin has a small loop at the top, measure the length of the item and then snip the pin just a tad shorter than the cutout. 

Place the pin inside the cutout making sure not to go through the sides. The pin will bake inside the charm allowing it to stay in place.

Here's another look at the process. 

 Here is a look at the cutout process. Make sure you don't go all the way through the clay, like you would a cookie, because it sticks to the cutter and doesn't come out easily. You want to go through just enough to leave a deep impression and then use the tools provided with your clay to cut away the excess.

 After you've cut out all the charms or pins you wish to make, you bake them. Again, refer to your clay baking directions because you will need to increase the temp on your oven. Bake accordingly.

Now that your charms and pins are cool, you can put the finishing touches on them. For the charms, add the large key rings to the loop of the headpin and attach the ring to your backpack clip. You can layer them as well! I love the M for McKinley and his favorite dinosaur together!

Finally, hang from any zipper on your backpack!

I added a fish and whale to my DIY rainbow bag!

Now, if you want to make a lapel pin, it's super easy. No need for the headpin for this. All you need is your cutout, pin backing, E6000 glue, and a piece of cardboard to stick your pin in for the drying process.

McKinley is sporting a frog and dino on his denim jacket! 

 Lastly, it's the bookmark! You will need to add your headpin for this one. Follow the process above. I had some left over ribbon that I cut in half down the center to make a thinner piece. I then strung the ribbon through the headpin, tied a small knot, and then added it to my book! It's darling!!!

 There are so many things you can do with baked clay! Homemade ornaments would be so cute for any holiday tree for every season! These would be super cute as key chain charms too! And they all would be fun gifts for family! 

What would you make with your baked clay?

XO,

Andrea 

Fingerprint Fun

How precious are kids fingerprints, when not on your walls, windows, or mirrors? From tiny prints to big ones, they look darling when used in kid crafts and art. Last year for Mother's Day, we made fingerprint floral magnets for the women in McKinley's life and we're extending the prints to clay pots as well!

April is just around the corner and so are a number of gift giving dates! Teacher Appreciation, Mother's and Father's Day, and Grandparent's Day later in the year! Make some of these cute things now and have them on hand when needed! And they look super cute on your own fridge or on your patio as well.

Here is what you'll need if you are making the magnets. Stamp pads for fingerprints are suggested, but I used high pigment, slow drying ink. The intense pigments allowed for a cleaner print. You also need clear glass gems, magnets, ModPodge, heavy white paper, E6000, and paint pens.

Start with your white paper and any array of ink colors.

Have your child pick their favorite colors, help press their finger into the ink, and allow them to stamp away. Make cute flowers, sweet hearts, or leave just a single print to be used for a cute surprise later!

  

Now that you have all the fingerprints you want, or as many as they will actually create, you are ready to start the magnet process. Use ModPodge from a squirt bottle versus the larger bottle you apply with a brush. It's easier to handle as you will see below.

Squirt a small about of ModPodge onto the glass gem and place over one of the fingerprints. Follow this same process for all of the magnets you are making. 

It's going to be cloudy and you won't be able to see the fingerprint. Don't worry! It's supposed to look like this. Allow to dry for 24 hours.

Ta-Da! It dried clear and you can see your darling finger prints through the gem! Do you see that cute chick, bunny, and ladybug? Simply create the cute characters using your black paint pen! Aren't they adorable! And to make your other fingerprints a little more vibrant, I added an outline to help define the fingerprint art. 

Cut out each of the gems from the larger piece of paper and then trim the paper so that nothing shows around the edges of the glass gem.

  

Using the E6000, adhere each magnet to the back of the glass gems. Again, allow to dry for several hours.

 

And there they are!! You're darling fingerprint art magnets! Perfect for any gift. Make them for any holiday too. How cute would little ornaments or snowmen be!

Come back this week to see how you can use fingerprints to doll up those clay pots for your patio or windowsill!

XO,

Andrea

Kindness Rocks

Several years ago, while on our annual trip to VA to visit family, McKinley found a rock at his feet. But this wasn't any ordinary rock, it was what we refer to as a Kindness Rock. It had a sweet little saying "Always Try", which was so fitting at that time. McKinley used to always tell us, "But we can try." So this rock was meant for him. It currently resides on his bookcase in his room.

Fast forward to earlier in the month when McKinley and I created several different kids crafts for a March segment on Better Kansas City. It's spring break in these parts, and we're all looking for kid friendly activities that help get us all off of our screens and doing something creative! McKinley and I discussed different types of projects we have worked on in the past, making a list of which ones would be better for the segment, and the Kindness Rock from VA was mentioned. And because of spring break, it was the perfect time to create a few rocks so that we can leave them at local parks around the neighborhood. Want to create your own? The read on to get a list of materials you need to complete the craft!

You need rocks, of course, so head out into this gorgeous spring weather and pick up some flat oval rocks. If you can't find any, pick some up at your local craft store. I found these at Michael's. They are smooth, flat river rocks in black. You also need acrylic paint in a variety of colors, paints pens, paint brushes, and any surface for painting. I love paper plates, but use what you have!

I painted all of the rocks white so that the acrylic paints would be vivid on the rocks. If you leave them black, that's fine, just know your paint won't be as bright in color. Paint the fronts and backs.

Paint your rocks in a variety of colors. Again, paint the front and back.

Next up, it's time to write on those rocks! We used paint pens, again found at Michael's. Pick complimentary colors, if you want, or go with whatever color speaks to you like McKinley did! No rhyme or reason for him. And let your kids get creative with their sayings. And if there are misspelled words, so what, it's the thought that counts!

Here are the completed rocks! I love them and I love that his heart is on each of these rocks! Again, he picked all the sayings, wrote them all himself, and I'm so proud of him! To finish them off, make sure you coat them with an outdoor  protectant so the paint doesn't run if they get wet. Head out to a local park and place them in friendly areas. Make sure they aren't in places that people will trip over them, but find them organically. 

If you decide to create Kindness Rocks of your own, please post all of your works of art on my This Kansas Mama Facebook page! We would love to see your inspirational sayings! Everyone needs a little kindness in their lives!

Check out the segment here for additional kid craft ideas or come back soon for more posts to come!

XO,

Andrea